U.S. Rep. David Joyce joins 16 Republicans to support Violence Against Women Act (with document)

U.S. Rep. David P. Joyce has joined 16 Republican members of Congress to urge leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

Joyce, R-Russell Township, and colleagues sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va. regarding the law that was first enacted in 1994 and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.

Communities and organizations that help victims of sexual abuse and violence consider the legislation to be a vital resource.

Joyce said he urged reauthorization of the legislation to help provide victims of abuse the best resources possible and to hopefully prevent further tragedies.

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"As a former public prosecutor, I've seen firsthand the crucial resources the Violence Against Women Act provides victims of abuse and law enforcement officials," Joyce said in a statement. "Violence has absolutely zero place in a civilized society and we must do everything possible to help the victims."

During the 112th session of Congress that ended Jan. 3, reauthorization legislation passed the U.S. Senate by a significant margin with Ohio senators, Republican Rob Portman and Democrat Sherrod Brown supporting it.

The legislation did not make it through the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network said previously that the reasoning was House Republicans objected to the expansions that, in part, allowed for non-native men accused of crimes against native women to be prosecuted on misdemeanor offenses in tribal courts and granting visas, which were previously allocated to the legislation in 2000, to immigrant victims who participated in prosecuting their cases and who passed a police background check.

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights, also asked House Republican leadership to quickly bring up and approve the U.S. Senate's Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 bill, which passed the Senate Tuesday by a vote of 78 to 22.

"The victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault should not have to wait any longer for protection under the law," Fudge said.

Lake County's Forbes House, a full-service shelter that operates 24/7, would not be able to remain staffed at all hours if funding isn't reauthorized by the legislation, said Director Mary Barnes.

Passage would mean a lot to the agency's clients and staff, she said.

"It would be very good news for us," Barnes said. "We have at least four people, 2 1/2 full time, that depend on VAWA monies that work here. We really couldn't keep our full-time coverage staff on if we didn't get those VAWA monies, so I'm hoping that they do."

Shayna Jackson, executive director for WomenSafe, Geauga County's only domestic violence shelter, was pleased that the legislation has been reintroduced and appears to have some support.

Jackson said the Violence Against Women Act is one of the sentinel pieces of legislation when it comes to prevent domestic violence.

"It's very important and also to send a message that this is an issue our society isn't willing to tolerate and is to willing to put legislation in place to address this issue," she said.